Therapeutic gravity actuated sustained pressure applicator



Aug. 20 195'? M. A. MULKIN 9 THERAPEUTIC GRAVITY ACTUATED susmmzo PRESSURE APPLICATOR Filed Oct. 15, 1953 v 2 sheets-sheet 1 "ill lllllllll lllll !l lll J ATTORNEYS M. A. MULKIN Aug. 20, 1957 THERAPEUTIC GRAVITY ACTUATED SUSTAINED PRESSURE-APPLICATOR Filed Oct. 15, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 w i \m E v m I m 0 mm 1 J Qm. NQN mv m x r Rm a mm N ATTORNEYS United States Patent THERAPEUTIC GRAVITY ACTUATED SUS- TAINED PRESSURE APPLICATOR Marion A. Mulkin, Macon, Mo.

Application October 15, 1953, Serial No. 386,187

3 Claims. (Cl. 128-68) This invention relates to equipment used in osteopathic treatments, and in particular a weight having resilient pads extended from the lower surface suspended in a housing and adapted to be elevated manually or electrically and moved downwardly by gravity to facilitate the application of maintained pressure upon that division of the autonomic nervous system which lies adjacent to the vertebral column or any other anatomical structure whereby sustained pressure may be used in giving an osteopathic treatment.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a device whereby a weight suspended over the back of a person in an inverted position, such as in an. osteopathic treatment may be lowered to straddle the vertebral column with the weight applied to the areas adjacent to the vertebral column without applying pressure directly over the column.

The science of osteopathy embodies many aspects besides spinal adjustment and muscle or soft-tissue manipulation. One of the most important of these is reflex treatment, by means of which the nerve supply to a viscera is influenced, thereby influencing the function of the organ supplied by the neuron, nerve, through reflex action. Since the early days of physiology, it has been known that intermittent pressure increases the rate of impulse through a neuron and that uninterrupted pressure sustained, without even slight motion and without any variance in the amount of weight, throughout a period varying from to 30 minutes without interruption results in a decrease in the rate of conduction of neural impulse.

The most important omission in adapting instruments designed with other purposes in mind is that no provision has ever been made to automatically sustain exactly the required amount of pressure throughout the prolonged period of time that is necessary in giving a reflex treatment. Previous devices were constructed to move vertebrae, as in a corrective treatment, or to apply massage, as in a soft-tissue treatment, and with only these purposes in mind, the application of prolonged pressure, as in a reflex treatment, with continued automatic adjustment was not considered and there is no way to adapt conventional devices to this use.

In conventional devices, power has been used to apply quick, short-lived pressure. In this device, outside power is used only to lift treatment pad. The amount of pressure necessary during treatment is determined successfully only by the pull of gravity. Motion will halt when the upward counter-pressure of the patient equals the downward pull of gravity and will resume automatically in exactly the right amount and without outside supervision of any kind when the upward tension of the prone patient recedes due to tissue relaxation. This can only be accomplished when the device is free-moving as the applicator of this invention is. This important feature is not embodied in any previous instrument, regardless of its designated use, as it was not necessary in the uses for which former intruments were devised.

' In osteopathic treatments it is desired to apply main- Patented Aug. 20, 1957 tained or sustained pressure to the division of the autonomic nervous system which lies adjacent to the vertebral column without the pressure being exerted upon the vertebral column. With this thought in mind this invention contemplates a weight having spaced pads of resilient material extended downwardly from the lower surface with means for elevating the weight and with the weight mounted whereby it is adapted to be moved downwardly by gravity, when released, with the resilient pads straddling the vertebral column.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide a supporting structure whereby a weight, adapted to be positioned over the back of a patient, may be elevated manually or electrically and wherein the weight is moved downwardly by gravity when released.

Another object of the invention is to provide a gravity actuated pressure applicator for use in giving osteopathic treatments in which the device is adapted to be manually or electrically actuated.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for elevating and releasing a weight for maintaining pressure upon any part of the anatomy in giving osteopathic treatments in which the device is of a comparatively simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view.

the invention embodies a substantially U-shaped housing having a weight with pads of resilient material on the under surface mounted to telescope vertically in one section of the housing and with means in the other section of the housing to elevate the weight by electrical or manual means the weight of which is sufficient to counterbalance the arm or section in which the weight is positioned, provided with operating means for raising and lowering the weight, the speed with which the weight is lowered being controlled by the locking device.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the improved applicator with the near side of the housing broken away showing the mounting and operating means of the Weight and also with a portion of the weight broken away and shown in section to illustrate the mounting of the resilient pads in the weight.

Figure 2 is a sectional plan through the base of the housing taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical cross section through the weight carrying arm of the housing taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is a detail showing a sectional plan taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1 illustrating the arrangement of pulleys on the upper surface of the weight with the surrounding parts broken away.

Figure 5 is a detail showing a section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1 showing the mounting of the locking pawl of the mechanism.

Figure 6 is a detail showing a section similar to that shown in Fig. 1 illustrating a modification wherein the weight actuating cables are attached to one end of a worm slidably mounted on a stand in the housing.

Figure 7 is a sectional plan taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 6 also illustrating the worm and gear operating means associated therewith.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts the gravity actuated pressure applicator of this invention includes a Weight 10 slidably mounted in a sleeve 11 in 21 depending section 12 of a housing having a base 13 with a vertical section 14 and an arm 15 with which the section 12 is suspended from the section 14 and base 13, a gear 16 having a ratchet wheel 17 on one side mounted on a shaft 18, a pinion 19 mounted on a shaft 29 positioned to mesh with the gear 16, a spool 21 mounted on the shaft 20 a and having a cable 22 wrapped thereon and means for actuating the gears and connecting the cable to the weight.

The weight is provided with recesses 23 and 24 in which the resilient members 25 and 26 are mounted and, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the members 25 and 26 are spaced providing an opening channel or area 27 that is positioned to straddle the vertebral column.

The upper surface of the weight 10 is provided with bearings 28, 29 and 30 in which pulleys 31, 32 and 33 are journaled and the pulleys are positioned to receive extended ends 34, 35, and 36, respectively, on the cable 22. The pulley 31 is journaled in the bearing 28 with a shaft 37, the pulley 32 being journaled in the bearing 29 with a shaft 38 and the pulley 33 being journaled in the bearing 30 with a shaft 39. The end of the section 34 of the cable is secured with a screw eye to a bracket 41 in which it is adjustably held with a nut 42, the end of the section 35 is similarly held with a screw eye 43 that is secured in a bracket 44 with a nut 45 and the section 36 is secured in a similar manner to an eye 46 that is held in a bracket 47 with a nut 48.

The sections 34, 35, and 36 of the cable are trained through corresponding grooves 49, 50 and 51 of a pulley 52 which is journaled in the section 12 of the housing with a shaft 53. The ends of the shaft are provided with pins 54 and 55 that are secured in openings 56 and 57, respectively in sidewalls 58 and 59 of the housing and the pulley is secured to the shaft with a pin 60.

The opposite portion of the cable 22 is trained over an idler 61 that is journaled in the housing with a shaft 62 and from the idler 61 the cable is wrapped around the spool 21 which is journaled in the housing with the shaft 20 upon which the spool is secured with a key 63 and a set collar 64. The gear 19 which is also positioned on the shaft 20 is secured to the shaft with a key 65 and a set collar 66.

The gear 19 is positioned to mesh with the gear 16 on the shaft 18, the gear being freely rotatable on the shaft and being retained between a set collar 67 and a hub 68 of an arm 69 on the extended end of which a pawl 70 is pivotally mounted with a pin 71. The pawl is positioned to engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel 17 and a spring 72, which is secured to the end of the arm 69 with a screw 73 urges the pawl into engagement with the teeth of the wheel.

The shaft 18 is provided with a hand crank 74 which extends from a hub 75 that is secured to the shaft with a key 76 and a lock nut 77. Upon rotation of the crank 74 in a clockwise direction, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. l the pawl 70 causes the ratchet wheel and gear 16 to rotate whereby the spool 21 on the shaft 20 is rotated to wind the cable and as the cable is wrapped around the spool 21 the weight 10 is elevated.

The hub 63 of the arm 69 is operatively secured to the shaft 18 with a key 78 and the hub is retained in position on the shaft with a set collar 79.

The applicator is also provided with a latch 80 that extends from a lever 81 which is pivotally mounted in a bearing post 82 with a stud 83 and which is provided with an extended foot pedal 84 by which the lever may be moved downwardly to the position shown in broken lines in Fig. 1 to release the ratchet wheel 17 when it is desired to lower the weight 10. The lever 81 is retained in the upwardly extended or full line position, in which the device is locked, with a spring 85 that is secured to an eye 86 on the lever at one end and to a bracket 87, at the opposite end. By this means the machine is locked until the pedal 84 is moved downwardly and in this mannor the weight may be retained in an upwardly disposed position until it is desired to lower the weight for use.

7 The base 13 of the housing is substantially solid whereby with the weight of the base greater than that of the weight 10 the base provides a counter balance, for the weight and section of the housing in which the weight 4 is positioned whereby the device is maintained in an upright position.

In the design illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 a gear 90, similar to the gear 16 and provided with a ratchet wheel 9.1 similar to the ratchet wheel 17 is mounted on a shaft 92 having an arm 93, similar to the arm 69 in which the pawl 70 is carried, and the gear is positioned to mesh with a worm 94 which forms a gear rack whereby upon rotation of the gear 90 the rack 94 slides vertically on a post 95 of a stand having a base 96. The worm or rack 94 is secured in position on the post 95 with a key 97 and the upper end of the worm is provided with an eye 98 in which an eye 99 on the end of a cable 100, similar to the cable 22, is positioned.

The gear and rack are mounted in a section 101 of a housing, similar to the housing shown in Fig. l and the parts are locked with a latch 102. on a lever 103 similar to the latch 80 and lever 81 of the design shown in Fig. l. The lever 103 is pivotally mounted with a stud 104 and a pedal 105 is provided on the outer end.

It will be understood that the cable for elevating the weight 10 may be actuated, either as illustrated in Fig. l, or as shown in Fig. 6, or by other suitable means. In both designs the operating parts are actuated by the hand cranks 74 whereby the weight is elevated manually and it will also be understood that the parts may be actuated by other suitable means.

The base 13 of the housing may be secured to a table top, stand, or other device with bolts, such as the bolts 106, or by other suitable means.

This invention is not a spinal adjusting device, and is not designed to correct spinal malalignments. Its action is one of pressure directly upon the neuron, in order to effect certain physiological results, rather than pressure upon vertebrae to eifect adjustments in position.

The therapeutic purpose of this invention is to facilitate the application of uninterrupted and prolonged pressure to those parts of the human organism where it is therapeutically indicated. It is designed especially to facilitate application of sustained pressure, uninterrupted, over a period of from three to ten minutes, or longer, to various nerve centers, and especially to the celiac, solar, pelvic or other plexuses of nerves accessible to treatment, and to that division of the nervous system which lies adjacent to the vertebral column. The therapeutic action of this invention is based upon the physiological principle which states that the rate of impulse transmitted by a neuron is reduced or inhibited by the application of prolonged and uninterrupted pressure. The ensuing changes in the physiology of the organism are of therapeutic effectiveness in treatment of certain pathological conditions.

The applicator of this invention provides unhampered mobility of pad and transmitting structure in order to continue descent by gravitation after pad engages patients tissue, at which point power other than gravity is discontinued. Pad will descend by gravitation controlled by suitable elevating means until the degree of counterresistance in the patients tissue is equivalent to the force of descent, at which point primary descent will automatically cease. Secondary descent, or adjustment to relaxation in tissues, will continue by gravitation as counter-pressure decreases to a significant degree due to relaxation of treated tissue.

I It is understood that variations in therapeutic use, in

power employed, in design or arrangement of parts may.

be made if such changes do ,not depart from the predominant spirit of the invention.

It will be understood that other modifications, within the scope of the appended claims, may be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A pressure applicator comprising an inverted substantially U-shaped housing having spaced vertically disposed sections connected at the upper ends with a horizontally disposed arm and having a mounting base on the lower end of one section and a weight slidably mounted in the lower end of the other, said weight having spaced cushions on the lower surface, means in the section on which the mounting base is positioned for actuating means for elevating said weight, means locking the parts with the weight in an elevated position, and a foot pedal pivotally mounted in the section on which the mounting base is positioned and operatively connected to the weight actuating means for releasing said locking means.

2. A pressure applicator comprising an inverted substantially U-shaped housing having spaced vertically disposed sections connected at the upper ends with a horizontally disposed arm and having a mounting base on the lower end of one section and a weight slidably mounted in the lower end of the other, said weight having spaced cushions on the lower surface, means extended through the horizontally disposed arm for suspending the weight in the sleeve, means positioned in the housing for manually operating the weight suspending means to elevate the weight and locking means pivotally mounted in the housing and positioned to coact with the weight operating and suspending means for securing said manually 25 actuated means in position with the weight in an elevated position.

3. In a sustained pressure applicator, the combination which comprises an inverted substantially U-shaped housing having a vertically disposed power section with a base flange on the lower end, a vertically disposed pressure applying section, and a horizontally positioned section connecting upper ends of the power and pressure applying sections, a weight slidably mounted in said pressure applying section, a manually actuated power unit positioned in the power section, means extended through the horizontally disposed section operatively connecting the power unit to the weight for elevating the weight, a latch pivotally mounted in the power section and positioned to lock the power unit for retaining the weight in an elevated position, cushions positioned on the lower surface of the weight, and :a foot lever pivotally mounted in the housing and adapted to actuate the latch for releasing the power unit whereby the weight is adapted to be actuated by gravity to engage a vertebra of a patient in an inverted position below the pressure applying section of the applicator.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 788,038 Fraley Apr. 25, 1905 2,109,577 Politis Mar. 1, 1938 2,180,775 Stevens Nov. 21, 1939 

